17396/Fathers and Daughters

Fathers and Daughters
Date of Scene:	10 March 2024
Location:	Grant's Gym - Amusement Mile
Synopsis:	Clara talk and Ted talk. No science involved.
Cast of Characters:	Ted Grant, Clara Jennings

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Ted Grant has posed:
It was Sunday! The gym was closed after three! Tony was staying on at the moment because Ted was upstairs writing a letter or doing a jig saw puzzle or something lame. Tony was doing a final check on the books. Besides he heard Clara was coming. tony was certainly gay but he looked at Clara as one might an elephant. Fascinating creature but not practical for him to keep her.

Besides things were stroppy here since Blue arrived and little Clara was a calming presence. Disclaimer: he was two inches taller than 'little Clara'.

Clara Jennings has posed:
    Clara arrives as promised. She's wearing a cute little swing dress that she bought with her very own money. It's white with black polka dots. She's even wearing a black sun hat with a white ribbon. She's very monochromatic.

    "Um, hello! Tony!" She races over (she's wearing flats) and throws a hug at him. "How have you been? Are you staying busy?" She doesn't ask if he's got a new boyfriend or anything. But she /is/ curious how he's doing there, too.

    Once the hug is over, it's time for her to fidget. With her new rings. It's not nearly as uncomfortable for others. Still, it is very much a thing. Tony is probably quite used to it by now, though.

Ted Grant has posed:
Tony appreciates the hug. He eyes her new style and approves giving her the chin nods."Ted keeps me busy. I think he's filling a fountain pen or organizing his Rolodex. You here to dance or ask questions, poppet?"

He closes his books and doffs his jacket. He struts to a boom box and peruses the selection of CDs.

Clara Jennings has posed:
    Clara laughs softly. "Daddy is like that!" She imagines that Tony is amused to no end by Ted getting /that/ title. "And dance, certainly!" Her hat is set down, giving one hand a break from fidgeting, and then she is heading Tony's way. She's most curious what the music selection will be. "I am a bit rusty," she admits. Which won't matter. She doesn't forget things.

    Fidget fidget fiddget. She sets aside her rings on her hat. And then she will move over and be in the ready position, hands up and having a very clear, very absolute, position to /stay/ in. No fidgeting.

Ted Grant has posed:
Ted Grant is actually doing research. For some this requires a laptop and Google. For Ted it requires a white board, news clippings and strings. A map of the area dominates the tableau. Ted chin taps, ponders, then says, "Naaaaaah." and heads downstairs for his beloved heavy bag. Actually it's a dysfunctional relationship, the bag is abused.

The dancing begins as he descends the stairs and sees Tony and Clara promenading around.

Clara Jennings has posed:
    When the dance begins, Clara quickly loses herself. She is not sure just what Tony has in mind, and the lead is, of course, his for the taking. Still, the motion catches her eye. She knows Ted is there. Which means she has to work extra hard to look her very best.

    The whole thing about being a bit rusty is nonsense. Her training has been too thorough and her mind just does not 'lose' things like that on its own. Ironically it is books that make her forget things. Magical ones.

Ted Grant has posed:
Tony is a decent dancer, a professional maybe. He walks her through the promenade part and then says, "Hold it!" He shuts off the music and regards her intently. "I am not doing this unless you have fun. Stop worrying about screwing up. I'm not going to bite you!" He grabs Clara's face and gives her an affectionate mooosh."

Ted watches this with interest. "Hey Clara, dip Mini Me and give him a peck on the cheek!" he says in a commanding tone.

Clara Jennings has posed:
    "I am having fun," Clara replies. The question confuses her. The mooshing of the face is, well, it makes her a bit salty! She pouts slightly when he lets go. And yes, Ted, that sounds like a good idea.

    Tony will suddenly sense that she has taken the /lead/ away from him. "Fun? I suppose you want me to do something odd, then. Just because you seem afraid to throw me as high as Daddy does." Plus Tony probably cannot anyway! Ted is... strong. She will take Tony through a few spins, seeing how fast he can whirl, and she rolls him out of holds that put her in very masculine positions until, at last, yes, she dips him. There she lingers for a moment. And then he gets his peck on the cheek.

    "Is that more what you were hoping for?" she asks curiously. It is hard for her not to laugh, but she also worries. Was it mean?

Ted Grant has posed:
Ted Grant's bwahaha rocks the gym.

Tony, obviously flustered, says, "Yeaaaaaah that'll do. Thank you for the dance." Ted walks over. "I'll take over. Thanks for keeping her company little buddy. He gives Tony a pound on the back.

Tony nods and take his leave.

Ted approaches Clara and picks her up in a bear hug, squeezing her tightly. He gives her a rough kiss on the cheek before setting her down. "How ya been little girl? Ya look great." Then he hugs her again. "Ya come upstairs, I'll make you something to eat." Hard to object when you're off the ground.

Clara Jennings has posed:
    "Hello, Daddy Ted!"

    That's said pre bear hug! During bear hug, she is mostly just laughing and trying to hug back as much as she can. "I am feeling quite well. I am having fun at Corben's and I am doing well at my new job." She recently started to work on organizing information for a few of Ted's managers. She's very good at it. This is all part of her ongoing exploration of how to make Mr. Kord more money. She does not even understand what saving a couple hours a week for directors is worth.

    "Thank you. I like this dress. And the hat." And since it is her, "I even buy my own underwear now!" She does not show him, of course. This is just her being an excited girl new to adulting.

    "I should make you food though! You have already been working."

    She does not resist any of the hugging. Dangling does rather take her vote out of the equation. She is hungry, though!

Ted Grant has posed:
Ted Grant ponders the risks and benefits of their cooking skills and says, "That sounds good but wear a shirt or something. I don't want you to mess up a cute dress. And make a lot, Blue may pop in. She eats like me..." He smirks.

He carries her up the stairs, hey, old times! Then he gets serious, "How are your nights? No bad dreams honey? Ahhh how's Megan?"

Clara Jennings has posed:
    "I will get into a shirt," Clara agrees. She does not say her shirt, since technically the one she has here was one of Ted's donations to her wardrobe. She has an apron squirreled away there, too. And her burner. She needs that one back!

    The mention of lots of food does get her grinning. "I will be sure to get a lot served up for you, just in case. And my nights have been okay, other than last night. I spent the night with..." She sighs. "With my mother. She decided, after 15 years, to tell me that I have a mom who is alive. And it is her."

    There is distinct unhappiness in her voice. It obviously did not go very well. "I do not blame you for knowing. It was not your job to tell me."

Ted Grant has posed:
Ted Grantputs Clara down and strokes her cheek. He doesn't say anything. He does walk over to his recliner and sit in it and makes a c'mere finger to her.

Actions speak louder than words. They can also speak more softly. The first time he cuddled her in his lap she was hysterical after unleashing a paper ogre on him, he remembers.

"Are you working things out?"

Clara Jennings has posed:
    Clara knows this situation very well. She winds up perching his lap in short order. It is comforting. Warm. Safe. She finds her eyes closing automatically as she relaxes. Her hands do not fidget.

    "I slapped her. Twice. Hard. Then she started crying and well, I..." Clara frowns. "I told her I needed time to be alone. I went to my room for the rest of the night. I came out to get food but I did not say a word to her." She looks back at Ted, her eyes open and curious. "How do I forgive this, Ted? I am so angry. But when I think of her hurting, it just... I feel like I am going to die. But still, she hurt me so much, so long, and left me alone."

Ted Grant has posed:
Ted Grant snugs Clara a little tighter. "I don't have any answers for you. You wanted to be an adult. Well, this is it. I know she loves you and was very deluded by the Conservatory. I told her so. I mean as far as it goes, she does love you. She was always looking out for you. The Conservatory used love to manipulate her. She has to get her shit together and make it right. I think she will."

Clara Jennings has posed:
    "She is quitting," Clara says softly. "I just wonder if I can trust her. I want to. Oh, and as for being an adult? I take that back. I want to be a child instead. I want to believe that someone can take all my fears away like I did when I was smaller."

    She is at least a bit serious about that. "But I suppose that would mean I could not live with my boyfriend. Hm. Adult it is." Clara smiles a little. "I will go back to her tonight and forgive her. I want a mother so much. I have to take the chance and forgive her. Even if I am so angry!"

Ted Grant has posed:
Ted Grant pokes Clara in her tummy. "Yeah forgive her but expect her to work to establish trust. Anger is just gonna eat you from the navel out. Waaaaait. You're living with Corben now?" Eyebrow has achieved maximum arch. Does your mom know this? is what he wants to say. Are you intimate?! He can't even begin to use the f-word with his darling. He doesn't ask that either.

Instead he mooshes her face, strangely, he is much more gentle than Tony. "Well you can't be a child again. But you can always pile on me and take a break for a while. If Blue is here, she will make room. She's into cuddling."

Clara Jennings has posed:
    "Well, most nights I am with Corben," says Clara. "I sometimes work late and then kind of fall asleep at the desk. Or on a chair. I fell asleep on the bus once. I... do not do that anymore." She fell asleep on top of a bot once too!. Poor little ones always have to deal with her.

    "Ohh, so you and Blue are getting alone very well, then? Is she sharing your bed?" Wow her filter is off. But honestly, she picked up her mother's underwear when... She looks suddenly flustered, blushing. "Oh my god my mother..." She shakes her head, "So you and Blue! Wow. I mean, that is very cute. She seems really nice!"

Ted Grant has posed:
Ted Grant nods. "See your mom and I had some fun together but apart from the mutual interest in boxing, we didn't have a lot of common ground -other than you. I'm kind of dumb compared to you two. And well this's the way I've lived for a long time. Have a few laughs and get out before you hate each other. I gotta say, I care a great deal about your mom but she made some bad decisions in her life. I can't condone them. we're kind of different."

He thinks a moment to answer about Blue and that sharing a bed business. "We share a lot more than a bed. I... we knew each other a long time ago in another life. I can't say much about it. But we were both going crazy from failing to connect with people. It happened fast."

"I... is it like this for you? Like you were in pieces and didn't know it and suddenly this person put you all together? I like everything about her... the way she teases and pranks me, the way she's solid steel but she turn to silk for me..."

Clara Jennings has posed:
    Clara nods in agreement when Ted is explaining the time with her mother. She is obviously not bothered. Secretly, she would be super jealous if her mother were still with him. She would not have a safe space here. Have Daddy Ted as a safe parent is really important to her right now.

    "Oh, so this is something that is long in the making. I like that. Not everything makes sense right away." She looks down at her hands, which do not fidget much. She looks away from them quickly, and they grow still once more.

    "Oh, hm. With Corben it is like I am in pieces, kind of broken in a few ways. But he only sees things he likes in all of me. I umm, you know how it is with me. I have trouble. I can be hard for people to talk to." Her hands flutter, and she starts to fidget. "And umm, well, I'm rather hard for most people to be around, it seems. But with Corben, I can just be who I am. I don't feel bad if my hands are weird."

Ted Grant has posed:
Ted Grant holds her hands between his, gently. "You... are not hard to talk to. You're just shy. Don't make it an issue and you a victim. If you were hard to talk to you couldn't be an awesome lecturer. As for you hands, it's a mannerism. That's All.. I get on with you fine and I'm a frigging grouch. And, can I tell you something without freaking you out?"

When I met you at Opal's place I considered bringing you back to my place and... hooking up. Then I saw you was a baby and way too young for me. But you're a lovely young woman and I was glad to meet you, and dance. Little girl, you are cute and smart and a sweet person. You gotta accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative, latch onto the affirmative and don't mess with Mr. In-Between."

Clara Jennings has posed:
    She sighs softly when her hands are stilled. It makes her calm down. Clara shakes her head, "I am not a victim. It is just part of what I am. And Corben lets me be that, Daddy. He seems to like that I am me." Which is weird to her, admittedly, but Corben is a bit unusual, too!

    At Ted's admission, she looks surprised and then laughs. A lot. "I am glad we met. And that you took care of me after Inez over-served me." To put it nicely. It was more spiking, but she liked Inez! "I will try my best. It really helps, though. I um, getting a job like I did. I am very proud of that. I can make my own money, and I'm um, good at something. They tell me that."

Ted Grant has posed:
Ted Grant hugs Clara fiercely. He should have had a daughter before. Maybe he still will. "Yeah you was a doe caught in headlights. Not that you're wise to the ways of the world now. I hope you'd stay sweet. But sweetie, you can do whatever you set your mind to. People will accept you. Keep looking. Not everyone will but forget them. Not everyone accepts me for that matter. I'm big and scary. Yes. I am. I've had security follow me around a store, 'cause I wore a hoody."

Clara Jennings has posed:
    "I think I am still sweet," says Clara. She laughs softly. "I um, I am still not aware of everything that others notice. But I have some friends who appreciate me." Bailey, Bongo... bots count! "And Corben. And you, and well, I bet Blue will be nice to me. If you like her, she has to be a good person."

    The mention of being followed makes her grin. "It is really funny, though, because they are probably helpless if you want to do something. Maybe they just want the champ's autograph."

Ted Grant has posed:
Ted Grant gives Clara a smooch. Muwaaah. "The sweetest." He studies the shirt she grabbed.

"Blue is a good woman. But I'm afraid you both are grabbing my shirts, so you'll have to move fast. On the hand, she likes grabbing them right after I wear them. She likes the smell of my tea tree soap."

"Oh 'd give them a hell of an autograph if they started anything." He wags a huge fist under Clara's nose.

Clara Jennings has posed:
    The conversation goes on like this, a mix of playful, deeply personal, and ultimately very father-and-daughtery! As promised, Clara makes food. And plenty of it. Everything is where she remembered it, and it's spaghetti and meatballs. With a whole bunch wrapped up for a meal later.

    When they are both ready, Clara will get back in her dress and head out. She has to go save her mother from more tears. Megan is mom, ultimately, and Clara is wise enough to know that having family, people who love you as much as life itself, is pretty damn valuable. Her anger will not ruin this. Her mom will get the chance to rebuild trust. And there will be hugs. Lots of hugs. Hopefully Blue is a hugger... but that has to wait for another meeting to determine!